The Mercy of Thin Air
by marcasite
Summary: She has never been fond of the beach but she goes, time and time again.


_Spoilers for Doomsday so angsty, yet hopeful. Thank you Kara for the beta!_

* * *

_It's not in my past to presume  
Love can keep on moving in both directions  
How to be happy and true  
Is the quest we're taking on together  
-Pearl Jam_

She listens as he tells her stories of wars lost and won, of civilizations great and small.

She watches as his hands gesticulate, waving circles of passion around them both. She smiles and asks about his home planet, about his people.

"Ah, but you don't want to know about that. Not much to tell. Don't you love a happy ending?"

He avoids (avoiding is easy for him) her eyes, throws levers as a distraction and plots his next destination.

She sighs soundlessly, there is time. She vows she will get him to open up.

Someday.

* * *

She has never been fond of the beach but she goes, time and time again.

It's been three years (but who's counting), and she recognizes that the more things change the more they really stay the same. But she's not ready to completely walk away from this.

Mickey trails behind her, casually tosses rocks and shells against the waves, watching them as they slowly sink away from sight. He always comes with her to the beach, the only one that really understands why she needs to. Her Mum wants her to stop coming to Norway, pleads with her every year before she makes the trek. Dad (she had stopped calling him Pete only months into their new life) just shrugs his shoulders, hands the keys over and whispers, "Be safe".

So every year, she walks along the beach, pretending that she's _not_ still waiting for him, that she's _not_ still hoping. Oh, he had told her that it was impossible but the impossible always seemed to happen around him. She doesn't know if the beach has any significance but this is where she last spoke to him, this is all she has left of him.

Rose can't bring herself to leave, can't bring herself (just yet) to move forward. So she waits in this limbo, waiting for something (anything) to happen.

There's comfort in the uncertainty that the beach brings her.

* * *

"Rose Tyler- where to next?"

She laughs at him as he dashes around the Tardis console, ready to pull a lever at her request.

"How about a vacation? A vacation paradise. Sand and water as far as the eye can see. A place where you can be anything; or anyone you want. You only have to imagine it." He grins at her, smiles pouring from his eyes.

"Sounds lovely."

"It is! We could do with a bit of mini break." He jerks his thumb towards the door, especially after the wolf! I could use a little less running in my life."

She laughs at him, "Go on with you! You couldn't give up the running, its part and parcel."

"Yeah, but we can pretend." He grins at her. "So Rose, want to come away with me?"

* * *

Four years after her first visit to the beach, she receives an invitation to Mickey's wedding. She runs her fingers lightly over the embossed lettering, brushes her thumb over the vellum paper. She smiles, knowing that Audrey would've picked the heavy card stock, Mickey leaving all the decisions (that mattered) to her.

She sighs, opens a drawer and tosses the invitation in. Closing it, she acknowledges that maybe; perhaps it's time to really live the life he would've wanted her to.

Maybe she could do it for the both of them.

Someday.

* * *

A year after she receives the invitation, nine months after the wedding, she thinks she's found a way back. It's tricky and she isn't sure what the outcome will be, but she thinks there's a way.

She's ready to stop moving in circles.

* * *

Jackie rants for two weeks, moving effortlessly between anger and cajoling. She begs Rose to stay, to live again here with her family.

Rose refuses to bend and Jackie's not really surprised. She kisses her softly, doing her best to hide her tears.

* * *

They are on the beach again, perhaps for the last time. Mickey insists on accompanying her, refuses to let her go alone. They sit on a row of rocks, watching the waves cascade around their feet.

"What if he's not there?"

"He'll be there," she's confident, "I don't think he can help himself."

Mickey turns his gaze to the horizon, and asks the only question he has been avoiding.

"What if you can't come back?"

She doesn't look at him, "I don't have any other choice."

"Yeah."

He avoids more questions; he thinks he already knows the answers.

"It's not any easier this time, losing you."

Rose reaches for his hand, her fingers curl through his, and silently acknowledging what he doesn't say aloud.

* * *

"Rose Tyler- where to next?"

She smiles at the familiarity, the comfort his words bring her. "Doesn't matter."

"Oi, doesn't matter? Of course it matters, everything matters. What you eat, what you wear matters!"

Rose laughs, "What does clothes and food have to do with this? What are you talking about?"

"History, Rose. I'm talking about history and the choices we make. Everything matters."

"Fine, I want to see snow! Lots and lots of snow."

"Careful what you ask for."

"Well-maybe not so much snow."

He looks down at her, "Are you backing out on me?"

And Rose Tyler, who hasn't looked back since the day she first slipped her hand into his, laughs as he pulls the lever that will bring them closer to the snow.

"Want to come away with me?"

**end.**


End file.
